Daisuke Takahashi

ioanna · Jun 20, 2014

I found this collage on tumblr and thought it was very cute :biggrin:

By the looks of it, Dai has been carrying Mao's bag on his shoulder a lot in Kazakhstan, along with his own. Hers is white, his is black.
http://38.media.tumblr.com/4aa13419d0deae84aa2bd3c47a45398e/tumblr_n6ttiePn7H1rdpxhzo1_1280.jpg (source)

And he's been also carrying Mao herself.
http://37.media.tumblr.com/ae08c5a0af7e54dca3d969f1605c7d9c/tumblr_n6rwgzQIqX1t4uo7lo1_1280.jpg

What a gentleman! :laugh:

Meoima · Jun 20, 2014

ioanap said:
I found this collage on tumblr and thought it was very cute By the looks of it, Dai has been carrying Mao's bag on his shoulder a lot in Kazakhstan, along with his own. Hers is white, his is black.
http://38.media.tumblr.com/4aa13419d0deae84aa2bd3c47a45398e/tumblr_n6ttiePn7H1rdpxhzo1_1280.jpg (source)

And he's been also carrying Mao herself.
http://37.media.tumblr.com/ae08c5a0af7e54dca3d969f1605c7d9c/tumblr_n6rwgzQIqX1t4uo7lo1_1280.jpg

What a gentleman!

I would be happy if he will carry Mao for the rest of his life. If you know what I mean. Ha ha ha :laugh:

mikaboo · Jun 20, 2014

ioanap said:
I found this collage on tumblr and thought it was very cute By the looks of it, Dai has been carrying Mao's bag on his shoulder a lot in Kazakhstan, along with his own. Hers is white, his is black.
http://38.media.tumblr.com/4aa13419d0deae84aa2bd3c47a45398e/tumblr_n6ttiePn7H1rdpxhzo1_1280.jpg (source)

And he's been also carrying Mao herself.
http://37.media.tumblr.com/ae08c5a0af7e54dca3d969f1605c7d9c/tumblr_n6rwgzQIqX1t4uo7lo1_1280.jpg

What a gentleman!

Mao, you lazy girl! :laugh:

I'm not a shipper, but I have to admit these two are cute. But Mao said she like tall guys :slink:

ioanna · Jun 20, 2014

I'm not one to comment on their personal lives either but there is no doubt they are very close and care a lot about each other. No matter the nature of their relationship they support each other a lot and I've seen them many times living each other's successes and disappointments with great intensity. I have personally never seen Dai get so affected by his own disappointments as much as he got over Mao's SP in Sochi. After the SP, with tears in his eyes, he told the reporters the competition is not over and that everyone will see the real Mao in the LP.

While we're talking about the Mao-Dai team, this is from the 2008 Carnival on Ice :biggrin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3BL1U8iJwc

mikaboo · Jun 20, 2014

Mao looks lovely. But I'm not a fan of Daisuke's costume here :no:
Have you seen this pair? He seems to like being lifted.

ioanna · Jun 20, 2014

^

I guess that costume was as extravagant as the program he was performing with it.

Dai sure loves being lifted. The only thing missing is Yuzuru lifting him up at the next Fantasy On Ice. I wouldn't be surprised after everything they did so far.

ioanna · Jun 21, 2014

Dai is releasing a new book this autumn, be Soul 3 (2000 days).
https://www.facebook.com/2000days.beSOUL3

BusyMom · Jun 21, 2014

ioanap said:
Dai is releasing a new book this autumn, be Soul 3 (2000 days).
https://www.facebook.com/2000days.beSOUL3

Thank you for the news ioanap. I back up the idea of English version. :yay:

mich2 · Jun 21, 2014

ioanap said:
I'm not one to comment on their personal lives either but there is no doubt they are very close and care a lot about each other. No matter the nature of their relationship they support each other a lot and I've seen them many times living each other's successes and disappointments with great intensity. I have personally never seen Dai get so affected by his own disappointments as much as he got over Mao's SP in Sochi. After the SP, with tears in his eyes, he told the reporters the competition is not over and that everyone will see the real Mao in the LP.

While we're talking about the Mao-Dai team, this is from the 2008 Carnival on Ice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3BL1U8iJwc

I think they both share the same thing- being an icon .which is not easy. Maybe that is why they understand each other so well.

ioanna · Jun 22, 2014

mich2, that is very true and they're lucky to count on each other's support.

This is the new Fuji TV documentary that aired today in Japan - Home Sweet Home. Many thanks to the uploader.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2000ek_20140622-ウチくる_sport

The documentary includes a very heartfelt letter Utako Nagamitsu wrote to Dai, once again provided by Daisuke Takahashi Road to Sochi. I confess it made me tear up a bit, especially when reading about his breakdown.

~ Daisuke-sama,

As it is the first time that I wrote a formal letter to you, it was a little difficult to me.

I met you for the first time in the rink in Izumi in Sendai Prefecture, when you were the second grader of the middle school during your summer recess.

While I was skating in the rink, Hideko-san took you onto the rink and you were just standing by the rink.

When you faced bad results, you have suffered very much , but these difficulties have brought you a surprisingly huge growth.

You taught me that there is nothing wasteful in life. Everything did happen as it should. You taught me that the time that seemed to be wasted is really the very precious.

The rink in Moscow in Novogorsk…Despite of the strong determination that you had when you left Japan, your knee did not heal as we had expected. There were many days that you could not practice as you wished at all.

A few days before leaving for Sochi, your mind finally broke down, and you screamed as if you were throwing up blood. I could not do anything but stroking your back.
But you ,Daisuke, never stop believing that you would make a miracle at the rink in Sochi.

Three months have passed already. Daisuke, I want you to think deeply about the result of Sochi inside of you, and when you have the strength back to fight again, I feel that you will make another miracle. I really do not know what kind of stage you will be in, but I would like to wait till you will get the applause from the entire crowd in the arena.

I would like to say that I will wait calmly for that day, but I will probably remain to be like a nagging old aunt of yours who annoys you so much. But I will wait for that day with many many adoring fans from all over the world.

~ Utako Nagamitsu.

This is the video of Nagamitsu sensei reading the letter out loud to a teary-eyed Dai (+ subtitles).
http://youtu.be/vsaPkcA0a9E

jimeonji · Jun 23, 2014

ionap, thank you for the updates as always and posting the translation of the letter here. I felt myself tear up a bit too, the same way I did when I watched his two programs from nationals this past season. He went through so much in his entire career, ups and downs and injuries. But I hope that he realizes that through this, as Nagamitsu sensei says, he was able to amaze us with beautiful programs and capture us with his skating.

ah, how do I always manage to get so emotional with Dai? Anyways, its been a while since Ive been able to post because Ive been in Europe, but thanks to all that have been posting news and links. I have a lot to catch up with!

ioanna · Jun 23, 2014

jimeonji, welcome back! Just in time for the new Fantasy On Ice shows and Prince Ice World the following weeks! :biggrin:

cdngirl · Jun 23, 2014

Ioanap: Thank you for the news about the book, providing the link to the TV show and the translation of the letter . The letter was so touching and it grabbed my heart to read about his difficulties on the rink in Moscow. I know that Daisuke doesn't believe it but I have always felt he got his miracle in Sochi. He was one of the very few that managed to not fall, during the FS, while all of the other skaters ended up on their backsides. When I think of the other skaters FS performances all I remember is the number of times they fell. I don't remember anything else about their performances but I will always remember Daisuke's. Given his serious injury he had every reason to fall but he managed to stay on his feet and give us 2 beautiful performances that I will never forget so I will wait for his second miracle.

ioanna · Jun 23, 2014

cdngirl, I am also in awe of the things Daisuke managed to do in Sochi, because as it's been said various times, he never skated a clean program during practice. Not in Japan, not in the Moscow camp, not even in Sochi. He couldn't land a clean 3A and always fell. I am sure the perspectives were getting darker and his breakdown is anything but surprising.

In this way, I think both his SP and LP are similar to Mao's LP. While Mao's breakdown occurred right in front of us in the SP, Daisuke's struggles were unknown to the viewers. Nobody knew what was happening behind the scenes, in practice. While some of us got a little insight at the nationals, most of the people watching were not aware of what he was going through: pain, desperation, guilt.

And that is why, just by completing 2 programs at the Olympics, staying on his feet and creating a moment for the audience, feeling and interpreting the music while the rest of the competitors were either panicked or exhausted, I think he was the equivalent of Mao in the men's event.

cdngirl · Jun 23, 2014

ioanap said:
cdngirl, I am also in awe of the things Daisuke managed to do in Sochi, because as it's been said various times, he never skated a clean program during practice. Not in Japan, not in the Moscow camp, not even in Sochi. He couldn't land a clean 3A and always fell. I am sure the perspectives were getting darker and his breakdown is anything but surprising.

In this way, I think both his SP and LP are similar to Mao's LP. While Mao's breakdown occurred right in front of us in the SP, Daisuke's struggles were unknown to the viewers. Nobody knew what was happening behind the scenes, in practice. While some of us got a little insight at the nationals, most of the people watching were not aware of what he was going through: pain, desperation, guilt.

And that is why, just by completing 2 programs at the Olympics, staying on his feet and creating a moment for the audience, feeling and interpreting the music while the rest of the competitors were either panicked or exhausted, I think he was the equivalent of Mao in the men's event.

I knew at the time that he was injured, in Sochi, because I was watching the CBC broadcast and the commentators mentioned the injury in both his SP & FS. I was grateful for their knowledge because I don't think the American commentators mentioned it. I remember Kurt Browning said "It was a beautiful skate. An Olympic moment" and his comments stayed with me because Daisuke was truly the only skater, to me, who was able to achieve that "Olympic moment" (and I certainly didn't hear Kurt say that about any of the other skaters). One of the other commentators mentioned his difficulties during the practices and said "he sure came through tonight". I hope one day Daisuke hears their comments and will finally be able to realize that he came through for all of us, that night in Sochi, but mostly for himself.

ioanna · Jun 23, 2014

cdngirl said:
I knew at the time that he was injured, in Sochi, because I was watching the CBC broadcast and the commentators mentioned the injury in both his SP & FS. I was grateful for their knowledge because I don't think the American commentators mentioned it. I remember Kurt Browning said "It was a beautiful skate. An Olympic moment" and his comments stayed with me because Daisuke was truly the only skater, to me, who was able to achieve that "Olympic moment" (and I certainly didn't hear Kurt say that about any of the other skaters). One of the other commentators mentioned his difficulties during the practices and said "he sure came through tonight". I hope one day Daisuke hears their comments and will finally be able to realize that he came through for all of us, that night in Sochi, but mostly for himself.

That's really good to hear. The commentators in my country didn't say anything about his injuries and even implied he didn't deserve the PCS he got in the LP. I can only imagine what kind of idea most of the viewers here got after that.

Meoima · Jun 23, 2014

ioanap said:
That's really good to hear. The commentators in my country didn't say anything about his injuries and even implied he didn't deserve the PCS he got in the LP. I can only imagine what kind of idea most of the viewers here got after that.

God! If Dai did not deserve such PCS then who else? Even PChan got 92 PCS for his disaster.

cdngirl · Jun 23, 2014

ioanap said:
That's really good to hear. The commentators in my country didn't say anything about his injuries and even implied he didn't deserve the PCS he got in the LP. I can only imagine what kind of idea most of the viewers here got after that.

I feel terrible just reading what you had to listen to so can't imagine how you felt hearing it as you were watching. Injury or no injury, Daisuke was the only skater that was able to reach through the TV screen and touch my heart on both nights so he deserved his PCS in the FS (and even higher). When I watched the American broadcasts and realized they didn't mention his injury I realized how informative Kurt Browning and his co-commentators were so it gave me a great appreciation for their knowledge and the fact that they took the time to do their research.

ioanna · Jun 23, 2014

Meoima said:
God! If Dai did not deserve such PCS then who else? Even PChan got 92 PCS for his disaster.

I know. That just shows how unprofessional some of the commentators out there are, and the fact that they don't have the slightest idea of what they're saying. :no:

cdngirl said:
I feel terrible just reading what you had to listen to so can't imagine how you felt hearing it as you were watching. Injury or no injury, Daisuke was the only skater that was able to reach through the TV screen and touch my heart on both nights so he deserved his PCS in the FS (and even higher). When I watched the American broadcasts and realized they didn't mention his injury I realized how informative Kurt Browning and his co-commentators were so it gave me a great appreciation for their knowledge and the fact that they took the time to do their research.

It was terrible indeed. It was like one of the commentators had a personal antipathy towards Daisuke because as they were talking about how Yuzuru's gold would be a first for Japan, this particular commentator felt the need to add the fact that Daisuke had "barely managed to get on the lowest position of the podium in 2010". I found this very disrespectful to the point of offensive, but I was aware they were mostly talking from their personal point of views rather than an objective and professional opinion as it should have been. In the end I'm sure Daisuke's skating itself made more impact on the viewers rather than what a couple of unprofessional commentators had to say.

I wouldn't expect anything less from Kurt Browning, he is always providing insightful, professional comments and I'm sure he knows better than everyone else the things Daisuke had to go through to deliver those programs.

cdngirl · Jun 23, 2014

Meoima said:
God! If Dai did not deserve such PCS then who else? Even PChan got 92 PCS for his disaster.

Thanks Meoima. Your comment gave me a big, big giggle!

Daisuke Takahashi

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